Foundation garment



Dec. 5, 1961 s. COUSINS 3,011,496

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed Sept. 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l/A/IIA/ II IIII/III! F I G. 3 INVENTOR.

Sydne Cousins ATEORNEY Dec. 5, 1961 s. COUSINS 3,011,496

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed Sept. 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZ SydneCousms TORNEY United States Patent FOUNDATION GARMENT Sydne Cousins,Westport, Conn. I (345 W. 58th St., New York, N.Y.)

Filed Sept. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 843,240 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-.544)

This invention relates to undergarments and more particularly todouble-bodied foundation garments consisting of two separately andindependently functioning bodyencircling portions.

In the redistribution of epidermal tissues, the concept has longpersisted that by the addition of fabric at strategic points, thebulging areas of the body may be confined within a limited area. Bysimply experimenting with ones hand and applying slight pressure to anyfleshy area of the body, it will be seen thatsuch tissue is merely movedto another area. In any of the standard body restraining garments, thisbulging flesh is .quite evident, especially along the lower peripheralareas where the restraining forces of multiple superposed panelsterminate.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a garmentwhich will evenly. redistribute the fleshy tissues of thebody of awearer so as to result in a completely smooth figure line.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a garment whichwill not impede circulation and still mold the figure withoutrestraining it.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a garmentwhich will allow normal body function without the necessity of removingsuch garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a girdle in which fullsupport isprovided to the trunk of the body, but-which will givecomplete freedom of the legs, especially to relieve the stresses alongthe lower edges of the garment particularly in walking and sitting. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a girdle which willentirely eliminate cutting, digging, or otherwise disturbing the fleshytissues of the thighs caused by hose supporters.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a girdlesimple and inexpensive to manufacture, yet pleasing to the eye.

In accomplishing the foregoing objects, there is provided a foundationgarment composed of one bodyencircling portion superposed upon a secondbody en"- circling portion and so arranged in relation to each otherthat each portion independently performs its constricting function uponthe body. In such garment, the panels of the body act in complementaryrelationship to each other, so that where one panel is taxed to itsmaximum performance, the second panel is in position to add additionalrestraint. Provision is further made in the garment of the presentinvention for the integration of such panels over the thigh area so thata peripheral flesh bulge is entirely avoided, and digging, cutting orotherwise disturbing the flesh in the thigh region by hose supporters isentirely eliminated.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent to those versed in the art from the following description ofa particular embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in thedrawings, wherein like characters designate like parts in the severalviews, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a girdle according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the girdle as seen in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is .across-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view of the girdle according to the present invention asshown upon the body of a wearer;

' tion 11.

' edge 33 meeting and being attached to the inner portion.

3,011,496 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of asecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is the rear view of the girdle as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FI 5; and I FIG. 8is the garment shown on the body of a wearer.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is illustrated as embodiedin a foundation garment 10 and is comprised of a first body encirclingor inner portion .11 superposed by a second or outer body encirclingportion 12 preferably of two-way stretch elastic material.

The inner portion 11, may comprise two panels stitched at the front andrear or may be of a single blank stitched along its vertical edge toform a vertical front sea-m 13 extending from the upper edge 14 oftheblank to a point 15 somewhat above the lower edge 16, forming a flaplikestructure at the lower front section of the inner por- The bottomedge16- of the inner portion 11 generally extends from the front of thegarment where the Vertical edges of the inner portion 1 1 formdownwardly extending pointed portions 17, 18 to the rear of the garment,forming an arcuate edge 19', 20 at the right and left sides of the innerportions 1 1, and to further form additional downwardly extendingportions 2d, 22 at the right and left rear portions respectively of thegarment. A sharply curved or scooped portion 23 between downwardlyextending portions 21, 22 completes the lower edge 16, constituting thelower edge of the inner panel 11. Directly attached-to theaforementioned downwardly extending pointed portions 17, 18, 21, 22,without the necessity of any supporting tams or hands, are hosesupporters 2 4 furnishing support to the front and rear portions only,of a pair. of hose. I

As heretofore mentioned, a second blank is superposed upon the innerbody-encircling portion 171 and constitutes the outer body-encirclingportion 12 of the garment 10. The top edge of said outer portion 12 isseamed to the top edge 14 of the inner portion 11 to constitute thecommon upper edge of the garment.

superposed circumferentially over the inner portion 11 said. outerportion 12 is incorporated along its vertical edge 30 with seam 13 ofthe inner portion 11.

For additional support where necessary, substantially V shaped insertpanels 31, 3 2 may be added at the front of the garment in which casethevertical edges 30 of the outer panel 12 will also assume a substantial Vshape. The bottom edge 33 of the outer portion 12 generally extendshorizontally across the back of the garment, said 11 at the apex of thescoop 23 of said inner portion 1:1 so that when the garment is worn, oneportion will not separate or ride up from the other, and the wearer willbe given a feeling of togetherness when wearing the doublebodiedgarment.

Extending frontwards, the bottom edge 33 gradually slopes downwardly,overlapping the bottom edge 16 of the inner portion 11 at the sidesthereof to further form additional downwardly extending portions 34, 35generally at the left and right sides respectively of the garment, towhich are attached hose supporters 36 furnishing support to hosierygenerally at the sides thereof. An oblique edge 37, extending from thebottom edge 33 meets the vertical edge 30 generally at the point 15. Itwill be seen from the foregoing that complete freedom and a total lackof encumberances is evident at the front crotch area of the body of thewearer which will allow freedom in walking as well as sitting as seen inFIG. 4.

Although referenceshave been made to particular attributes of the innerand outer portions with relation to each other, the garment may well beconstructed so that such portions are reversed. In a furthermodification as illustrated in FIGS. -8 the dual-bodied garmentcomprises a first body-encircling outer portion 50 superposed upon asecond body encircling inner portion 51. top edges of the aforementionedportions 50, 51, being coextensive with each other, form a common edgewhich constitutes the top edge 52 of the garment. The vertical edges ofthe outer 50 and inner 51 portions, also coextensive with each other,may be stitched to form a vertical seam at the front of the garment, oras is illustrated, such vertical edges 53, 54 of the outer portion 50and the inner portion 51 may assume a generally concave shape andterminate somewhat short of the center of the garment. Anon-stretchable, net fabric dual panel 55, the vertical edges thereofbeing convex, and in abutting relationship to the vertical edges 53, 54,of the dual body-encircling portions 50, 51 is stitched to each of saidvertical edges of the dual portions 50, 51, forming a seam 56, 57 to theright and left of the front central portion of the garment, and bridgingthe area between vertical edges 53, 54 to complete the encirclement ofthe body of the wearer. Stitching 70 over the body of the garmentunifies the structure giving the wearer a feel of togetherness, andeliminates the necessity of attachment along the lower edges of the duallayers.

The lower edge 58 of the inner portion 51, free of attachment to theouter portion 50, extends in an arcuate sweep across the rear of thegarment and terminates at downwardly extending portions 59, 60 at theleft and right side thereof and further continues in an arcuate sweepacross the front of the garment and terminates at seams 56, 57.. Hosesupporters 61 are directly attached to said downwardly extendingportions 59, 60.

The lower edge 62 of the outer portion 50 generally assumes an arcuateshape across the rear of the garment, terminating in downwardly pointedportions 63, 64, said edge 62 further extending in an arcuate sweepacross the right and left sides of the garment in overlappingrelationship to inner portion 51 to form additional downwardly extendingportions 65, 66 at the right and left of the front of the garment. Adeeply scooped portion 67 extending from downwardly extending portions65, 66 completes the lower edge 62 of the outer portion 50.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that as one portion of thedual-bodied garment molds the body, the second portion acts as areinforcement thereto. The dual-bodied feature of the garment alsoimparts a slight massaging action upon the body of a wearer since theouter panel, being independent of the inner panel, is drawn in anopposite direction by the pull exerted by the downwardly extendingportions anchored as they are to the hose. Thus, with the movementcreated by the gait of the wearer, the outer panel is drawn in onedirection, returning to its original position over the inner panel,thereby imparting The 1 the aforementioned massaging action. It will befurther evident that ridges created by fatty tissue along the lowerperiphery of a garment, especially with a wearer of heavy thighs, arecompletely eliminated by the provision of the aforementioned downwardlyextending portions. Additionally, the unique attachment of hosesupporters to the downwardly extending portions entirely eliminatesdigging and cutting into the fleshy area of the thighs as well astwisting and turning of the garters as is the case in a standardgarment. The provision of a substantially unencumbered crotch regionprovides free leg movement and additionally allows for the performanceof normal body functions without the necessity of removing the garment.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment comprising an outer bodyencircling portionsuperposed upon an inner body-encircling portion; said body-encirclingportions, along'the vertical edges thereof being joined to form a frontseam; said inner portion along the bottom edge thereof, extendingdownwardly to form downwardly extending portions at the rear region ofthe thighs when the garment is worn with a centrally scooped portiontherebetween, said edge being reversely curved upwardly at the sideregions in the garment and further extending downwardly generally at thefront of the garment, said edge further extending obliquely at the frontof the garment and terminating at the front seam; the lower edge of saidouter portion extending generally horizontally across the rear of thegarment in overlapping relationship to the lower edge of the innerportion; said edge curving downwardly generally at the side of thegarment in overlapping relationship to the lower edge of the innerportion,'said edge being reversely curved upwardly and terminating atthe front seam; hose supporting means secured to said downwardlyextending portions at the lower edges of said inner and outerbody-encircling portions.

2. A foundation garment according toclaim 1 wherein the lower edges ofsaid inner and outer body-encircling portions are joined by stitching atthe lower edges thereof generally in the rear of said garment.

3. A foundation garmentaccording to claim 1 wherein the upper edges ofsaid inner and outer body-encircling portions constitute the commonupper edge of said garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

